Unai Emery, who could soon be announced as the new Paris Saint-Germain manager, seems intent on bringing Juan Mata to the club. The duo worked together during at La Liga outfit Valencia and are believed to share a strong relationship.
According to Le 10 Sport, former Sevilla boss Unai Emery has listed the changes he wanted to bring about at the Parisian club. The Spaniard is said to be interested in a former Valencia player who is currently plying his trade in the Premier League. All signs point to one man — Juan Mata.
The announcement of Jose Mourinho as the Manchester United manager immediately cast doubts on Mata’s future at the club. At Chelsea, Mourinho got rid of the Spanish midfielder due to his inability to contribute to the defence. Mata, who was Chelsea’s Player of the Year for two seasons in a row, could not compete with a younger and more versatile Oscar.
Has Jose Mourinho already decided on Juan Mata’s Manchester United future? | @ZEZO_CARTOONS pic.twitter.com/aawlHjSyYg
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) June 6, 2016
After making his switch to United, Mata has predominantly played as a right winger and has been fairly under-utilised. However, he still managed to register a decent tally this past season by scoring six goals and assisting another a further five.
Will Juan Mata fit in at PSG?
The Daily Telegraph had reported earlier that PSG were interested in the services of Juan Mata and now with Emery set to take over, the Spaniard may be tempted to make a move to the Parc des Princes. For starters, the Parisians would offer him Champions League football and knowing Emery’s tendency of playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Mata could play the role behind the striker without having to defend to a great extent.
His creativity and match sharpness could be just what PSG need to make them a stronger and more formidable unit. Mata would be part of an attacking trio with Angel Di Maria to his right and either one of Javier Pastore or Edinson Cavini on the other side. The Spaniard also has the ability to drop deep and open up opposition defences with his impeccable passing capability, making him a perfect fit at PSG.
